On the first day of April — Sexual Assault Awareness and Prevention Month — the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention terminated a swath of violence prevention scientists and advocates as a part of the Trump administration’s massive federal spending cuts.
But if we as a nation are really serious about cutting unnecessary expenses, then we need to end sexual violence, as it costs the government roughly $1 trillion for the lifetime economic burden of rape.
The prevalence of sexual violence hasn’t changed in decades, and we cannot afford to stop working for progress.
Over half of women and almost 1 in 3 men in the country have experienced sexual violence involving physical contact during their lifetimes, according to the CDC. For many, sexual violence victimization occurs at an early age. In Illinois, the percent of high school girls who experienced forced sex increased from 12% in 2011 to 13% in 2021; 19% experienced any type of sexual violence.
I was sexually assaulted on a date when I was 18, and I couldn’t understand why it happened. As someone who has always believed that people are inherently good, I initially blamed myself. I told myself that if I had done “X, or Y or Z,” the assault wouldn’t have happened. It took years to figure out how I could maintain my world view — that people don’t intend to cause harm — and believe that this unwanted experience was not my fault. This incident consumed me, which is why I’ve spent the last decade studying violence prevention.
I believe that the man who hurt me was not a bad person. I also believe he held deep-seated expectations, perhaps subconsciously, for women in relation to men. He also likely never learned sexual communication and had poor impulse control. This combination contributed to my sexual assault.
My unwanted experience and so many like it could have been prevented if more Americans were exposed at an early age to evidence-based sexual violence prevention plans and role models who emphasize and practice gender equality.
Sex education should be lifelong. Children need to learn to stop when told “no.” Adolescents need to learn about consent. Adults need workplace harassment training.
Currently, I have been implementing and researching a mindfulness program in preschools to promote emotional regulation broadly, addressing factors such as impulse control. Playing “red light, green light” with children is more than just a game. When these concepts are repeated throughout childhood, adolescence and adulthood, it may finally move the needle to decrease the prevalence of sexual violence.
The cost of evidence-based prevention programs varies. One childhood mindfulness program costs $2,400 per school per year. (Mindfulness programs can improve impulsivity, and Illinois recently passed legislation that allows schools to have “relaxation” time.) Another adolescent dating violence prevention program costs $175,000 per site per year. By comparison, the average annual cost to incarcerate a federal inmate is over $40,000 per year (and varies for states). For Americans who are perhaps more motivated by fiscal outcomes than public health outcomes, these figures should be compelling.
As federal funding for sexual violence-related work hangs in the balance, we need to support our local agencies to ensure services continue. Illinois has 31 sexual assault crisis centers, which have historically operated, in part, with federal funding. To help these centers, consider donating and volunteering for their hotlines. Vote for officials who support violence prevention. There is no downside to advocating for prevention and related education, regardless of political affiliation or motivation. Paying for prevention and prevention research will save us money and emotional and physical hardship in the long run.
Rachel Jackson-Gordon is a postdoctoral research associate at the Family Resiliency Center in the Department of Human Development and Family Studies at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign.
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